Patriotic race marks a milestone

For 27 years, Cliff Wilson has made it his patriotic duty to run in the Firecracker 4 run.

This year won't be any different for the Lake Jackson resident, who has run in the four-mile race more than anyone else.

"I just want to finish," said Wilson, 69, a retired Dow Chemical Co. employee, who has lived in Lake Jackson for 37 years. "And still be able to stand up."

The four-mile Lake Jackson race, which is in its 30th year, will be held on Saturday at Dunbar Park, 400 FM 2004.

A non-competitive 1K race for children ages 7 to 12 starts at 7:15 a.m, followed by a 1/2k race for children 6 and under. All participants will receive a T-shirt and medal.

The four-mile run starts at 7:30 a.m. Runners can register the day of the race beginning at 6 a.m. or in advance by calling 979-233-4362 or visiting www.signmeupsports.com.

Last year's race featured 110 participants with Gabriel Rodriguez of Houston shattering the course record with his time of 20 minutes, 37 seconds -- 56 seconds faster than the 1996 mark by Jeremy Dye, a former Brazoswood High School cross-country runner. Bill Shaw, one of the race's coordinators, expects at least 110 to participate this year. He said the event is attractive to runners of varying abilities.

"It's a pretty flat course," Shaw said. "There's a lot of shade to help with the heat."

But for Wilson, who since 1975 has logged 42,500 miles running, 40,000 miles biking and 3.2 million yards swimming, the Firecracker 4 is as American as his red, white and blue running shorts.

"It's just always been a tradition," said Wilson, who also competes in triathlons. "That makes it a special event."

The native of El Dorado, Ark., ran cross-country from 1953 to 1957 while pursuing a degree in chemical engineering at Georgia Tech University.

"Running back then was a lot different than it is now," said Wilson, who has been married to his wife, Emmalyn, for 42 years.

The couple has four children and eight grandchildren.

"We didn't know some of the training methods that we know now and the shoes weren't near as good. The thin-soled shoes we wore didn't have the cushioning modern-day shoes have," he said.

But Wilson stopped running after college and didn't start again until 1975, when he was 40 years old. At first, he said he could only run one mile at a time, but eventually increased his distance.

"I was slow to come around," Wilson said. "I got fairly tired because I was out of shape and overweight."

Wilson didn't run in the first Firecracker 4 race in 1974 or the second race in 1975. In 1976, the race's name was changed to "4 at 4 on the 4th" to commemorate participants running four miles at 4 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

That was Wilson's first time to run a competitive race.

He said the heat was more exhausting than the race itself for the 30 or so runners who participated.

"We weren't into a lot of trophies back then," Wilson said. "You ran, finished and patted yourself on the back."

Over the years, Wilson has won in his age-group category several times in the race.

He runs anywhere from 20 to 25 miles weekly to stay in shape for races like the Firecracker 4.

"I especially try to do it now," Wilson said. "At least while I still can."